The Vrata Valley is one of the most beautiful and popular glacial valleys in the Triglav National Park. It is about 10 km long and surrounded by mighty over two-thousand high mountains, including the highest Slovenian mountain Triglav (2,864 m), and the famous Peričnik waterfalls. Thanks to its extraordinary location, the valley is popular with hikers and mountaineers alike, as it is the starting point for numerous excursions and hikes in the surrounding mountains. The hikers usually set their destination as the Aljažev dom (Aljaž Lodge) with its magnificent view of the north face of Triglav. Here you can see the Aljaž Chapel of St Cyril and Methodius and, a few minutes further on, the giant wedge with a carabiner, a monument to all the victims who were taken by the mountains.

Monument: a wedge with a carabiner

Getting to the valley

The valley is easily accessible. You can get directly to the Aljažev dom by car, but we recommend you leave your car in the village of Mojstrana and continue on foot to the Peričnik waterfalls (click here for more info on the waterfalls) and on to the north wall of Triglav, which encloses the mighty valley. From the apartments, you can also cycle along the cycling route to Mojstrana (described in the Mojstrana article), from where you will have a slightly more difficult climb all the way to the end of the valley. During the summer months, a tourist bus also runs through the valley from Kranjska Gora (click here for the timetable).

Along the path of the Triglavska Bistrica river

If you decide to leave your car in Mojstrana, we recommend starting your journey at the Slovenian Alpine Museum. The 11 km long trail will take you along and across the Triglavska Bistrica stream to the famous Peričnik waterfalls, and under the mountain galleries to Aljažev dom, where the trail ends under the mighty North Wall of Triglav. The North Wall of Triglav is on average 1,000 m high, more than three kilometers wide, and one of the three largest walls in the Eastern Alps. The wall itself is also a symbol of Slovenian mountaineering.

The valley is part of the Triglav National Park, which is home to almost 7,000 species of plants and animals thanks to its diverse habitats.

Attractions in the surroundings

Mojstrana is the starting point of 4 valleys: Vrata Valley, Kot Valley, Krn Valley, and Radovna Valley. The 4 valleys give you plenty of possibilities for excursions, especially if you are going on a short or longer tour to the surrounding mountains. The most popular hikes are listed below.

We suggest that you visit the Slovenian Alpine Museum in Mojstrana on your way back. For more information about the museum, click here.

Vrata Valley is a starting point for excursions and hikes in the mountains

Vrata Valley is one of the best-known starting points for mountaineering tours to many of the surrounding mountains.

Easy routes:

• Zgornje Kriško jezero – Upper Lake Kriško (past Pogačnikov dom – Pogačnik Lodge
• Koča na Doliču
• Kanjavec
• Luknja
• Bivak na Rušju (a bivouac)
• Bivak pod Luknjo (a bivouac)
• Gubno
• Kucelj (Julian Alps)

Moderately difficult routes:

• Pogačnikov dom na Kriških podih (via Sovatno)
• Spodnji Stenar (over Sovatno)
• Križ (past the bivouac at Rušje)
• Kriški rob (over Sovatno and past Pogačnikov dom)
• Šplevta (Indijanec)

Difficult mountain hikes::

• Triglavski dom na Kredarici (over Prag)
• Bovški Gamsovec (over Luknja)
• Bovški Gamsovec (via Sovatno)
• Stenar (over Sovatno)
• Stenar (over Stenarska vratca)
• Dolkova špica (western route)
• Križ (over Sovatno)
• Rjavina (over Prag)
• Cmir (over Prag)
• Begunjski vrh (over Prag)
• Rž (Tominškova pot)
• Rž (over Prag)
• Visoka Vrbanova špica (over Prag)
• Planja (over Sovatno)
• Šmarjetna glava (past Koča na Doliču)

Caution! Extremely difficult hikes:

• Triglav (Tominškova pot)
• Triglav (via Plemenice)
• Triglav (Gamsja cesta round Triglav)
• Razor (via Sovatno)
• Dolkova špica (eastern route)
• Dolkova špica (along the south-east ridge)
• Križ (over Stenarska vrata)
• Cmir (Tominškova pot)
• Rjavina (Tominškova pot)
• Rogljica (western route)
• Begunjski vrh (Tominškova pot)
• Glava v Zaplanji (over Plemenice)

Mountaineering ascents:

• Spodnji (Lower) Rokav (Potočnik – Tominšek)

View of the surrounding mountains:

• Triglav (2.864 m)
• Stenar (2.501 m)
• Begunjski vrh (2.461 m)
• Sleme (1.656 m)
• Kukova špica (2.417 m)
• Dolkova špica (2.591 m)
• Dovški Križ  (2.542 m)
• Škrlatica (2.740 m)
• Razor (2.601 m)
• Križ (2.140 m)
• Bovški Gamsovec (2.392 m)